Engine-valve



5 Sheets-FSh eet 1. J. FERGUSON.

ENGINE VALVE.

(No Model.)

No. 851,857. Patented Nov. 2,1886.

3w: enkm N. PETERS. Phnlu-Lilhngnphc 5 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. FERGUSON.

ENGINE VALVE.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 2, 1886.

Wxbae'aaee (No Model.) 5 sheets sheet a.

J. FERGUSON.

ENGINE VALVE. No. 351,857. Patented Nov. 2, 1886.

I p; llllll N. PETERS. PholwLiuho n her. wasnin wn. nc.

(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 4.

J. FERGUSON.

ENGINE VALVE.

No. 351,857. Patented Nov. 2, 1886.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

J. FERGUSON.

ENGINE VALVE N VF.

N w I a m W UNITED. STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FERGUSON, OF BRIDGEWATER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ENGINE-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,857, dated November 2, 1886.

Application filed June 5, 1886. Serial K032042322.

stantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of part of an engine-cylinder and valve-casing and steam-chest constructed according to my improvements. Fi 2 is a transverse section of the same on the ine D D of Fig. 1. ,Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the lineO O of'Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top view of the same with the steam-chest and valve-casing in section horizontally and centrally on the line A A of Fig 1, with the valve removed. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal central secl moved.

tion of one of the cylindrical valve-heads,showing the arrangement of the packing. Fig. 6 is an end view of the same with the follower re Figs. 7, 8, 9, l0, and 11 are detail views of the valve-packing, showing its separate parts, detached from the valve.

In a former patent, No. 335,571, granted to me February 9, 1886, I have shown an arrangement of a balanced cylindrical piston-valve with unobstructed steam and exhaust passages, and a particular kind of packing, designed to avoid all liability of the steam in passing through these passages to choke and obstruct the same in one part, so as'to prevent its free escape and exit in other parts, all as therein'fully set forth and explained. I r

My present invention consists in the employment of struts across the steam and exhaust passages only in certain positions, and leaving them open and unobstructed in other parts,

whereby the same result is accomplished, and

in my former patent.

My invention further consists in the combination, with the cylindrical balanced valve, of

a particular variety of packing, as hereinafter 'minimum longitudinal (No model.)

described; and it further consists in forming the struts across the steam and exhaust passages of some softer metal, to prevent undue wear of the valve-packing by them, as hereinafter described.

The object of the invention is to provide a balanced cylinder-valve with steam and exhaust passages in which the'steam will not be obstructed and wire-drawn, and to make the Valve as compact as possible, and with the reciprocal motion, whereby its quickness of operation is greatly increased.

A is the enginecylinder, and a a are its V steam-passages, opening into each end of it, through which the steam alternately enters and escapes in the usual manner.

B is the steamchest, into which the steam enters from the boiler by the passage b.

V is the balanced valve, consisting of two heads, 12 0, connected by a neck, 11'.

E is the cylindrical casing in which the valve V works in the steam-chest. This cas ing has in it two steam-passages, e e, which are so formed as to expand outward laterally from the side of the valve opposite the ends of the steam-passages a a, which open into the steam-chest around to their line ofjunction with the 1atter,with which they unite and form continuous steam-passages,as shown. This outward expansion of passages e e affords provision for-the free escape of the steam from the interior of valve-cylinder E, all around the latter, into and through the passages e a and e a, without having any of the steam escaping nearest to passages a a choke up the passage ahead of the steam entering the passages farther away. It is further necessary, however, that the passages e e shall have no struts or deflecting-bars across them on either side where they enter the bore of cylinder E, which shall serve to deflect the steam laterally across them ahead of other steam, because such laterally-deflected steam would choke them up when so deflected across them and impair their capacity to conduct such other steam into the passages a a. On the other hand,it is convenient,with some superior'kinds of expansible packing, to havestruts across the passage-Ways e e at some points to hold against the undue expansion of such packing. To introduce such struts with out interfering with the passage-way e or e,

I place one strut or bridge-piece, 6, across it at its narrowest point, directly opposite steampassage a or a, and I place another strut, 6, across it on the side next to steam-passage a or a, and in such a position as not to deflect steam striking against it transversely across such steam-passage. Either of these struts may be used alone and accomplish good re sults; but I prefer to use both, as described.

Between the steam-passages e c in the valvecylinder E, I form a passage, 6, for the exhaust-steam. This passage also expands outward laterally from one side of the valve in the same manner as the steam-passages c ore, and opens at its wider end into the escapepipe 0 through which the exhaust-steam passes off. Two struts or bridge-pieces, e" 6 are placed in the part of this exhaust-steam passage opening into the valve-cylinder E, and in similar positions to the corresponding struts, 0 e in steam-passages c cthat is to say, one, 6", on the side where the passage e" is narrowest, and the other, e, on the opposite side, and both in such position as not to deflect the exhaust-steam across transversely of passage 0".

The packing used with the valve-heads v 1) consists of a steel ring, 1', Fig. 8, formed with internally-projecting flanges r 1-, which give it more bearing-surface at each end in the groove 12* in the head into which it is fitted. These flanges 1- '2" are divided transversely by sawing narrow slots through them, as shown by the radial lines in Fig. 6 and 7, to allow them to be extended inward sufficiently to take a wide bearing upon the radial faces of the opposite'sides of groove v" as the elastic ring r is pressed outward against the bore of the cylinder E. \Vhen the packing-ring traverses across the passage E or E in the bore of the cylinder E, and opening around it, that edge of the ring which crosses the passage first springs open slightly, unless prevented, and cuts the struts e" or e away, and also the bore of the cylinder on the side of the passage toward which it is moving. The bearing-surfaces of the flanges r r prevent this expansion of one edge of the ring more than the other, while allowing both to expand equally, because they are held between the radial faces of the groove 0 so closely as to prevent the twisting of the ring necessary to permit it to expand upon one edge only. The head not the valve has the groove 22" formed around its periphery, as shown, and one side of the head is made in the form of a removable follower, 11 which is so constructed for the purpose of introducing the packing into groove 1). The ring 0' is formed of an elastic ring of steel having its ends brought together with a diagonal cut, 1*, which causes this part of the ring to wear more evenly upon the valve-cylinder E. For a space upon each side of the cut 1' the inwardly-projecting flanges r r are cut away, as shown, and a short segment of a ring, 1', is made with flanges r a", projecting outward to fit inside the adjacent ends of ring r, and into slots out in its edges on each side of said ends,

(see Figs. 5 and 6,) thus covering the cut 1 both on its face and edge, and preventing the leakage of steam through it. The ends of the segment 0 also extend beyond the flanges 1- r and underlap the ring 1 circumferentially to its outer edges, the flanges r 1- of the latter being cutaway to permit of this construction. The result of this combination of the parts is that as the ring 1' automatically expands as it or the valve-cylinder is worn away, the flanges 1" 1* continue to prevent steam from entering the ends of slot 1, and the underlapping parts of segment 1- allow the ring to move upon them in expanding, and, by the pressure of the springs within, prevent steam from entering within the ring along the ends of flanges 1" r, thus preserving at all times a steam-tight joint, which the steam-pressure cannot efl'ectively open. The segment r may be made fast at one end to the ring 1', if desired, when only its opposite underlapping end will move upon the ring as it expands, and at the same time preserve a steam-tight joint, as described; but I prefer to allow both ends to act, as described. The internally-projecting flanges 1" r of ring 1' are divided by narrow slots 8 s at intervals, to prevent interference with the elasticity of the ring, and the latter is so made that itexpands larger than the bore of valve-cylinder E, so that when it is compressed and slipped into the latter when in place on the valve, it will form a steam-tight fit of the valve in its cylinder on each valve-head v v. The ring 1' is wider longitudinally of the valve than either steam-passage c 6; but when either edge of it passes over the steanrpassage it tends to twist and spring outward at that edge, if that passage be entirely unobstructed all around, thus wearing and cutting away the packing. The presence of the struts c e" c c prevents this, however, and holds the packing-ring 1' true and straight while passing across the steampassages. Especially is this so if the packing is arranged so that the cut 1' in ring 1' is brought against either strut e or 6, thus effectually preventing the ends of ring 1' from springing outward. In order to further prevent the struts or bridge-pieces e a e e from cutting or wearing into ring afaster than other parts of the valve-cylinder, I form them of some softer metal than the body of valve-cylinder E-as, for instance, of brass-when that is made of cast-iron, and braze the struts firmly into place, as shown.

The pressure outward against the valve-cylinder E or ring 1' may be augmented, if desired, by springs s s,- but they will not generally be found necessary. These springs are set into the valve-head o beneath ring r, as shown.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Suppose the valve to be moving in the direction of the arrow, as shown in Fig. l. The edges of the packing-rings r r traverse across steam-passages e 6', allowing live steam to enter passage to and exhaust-steam to escape from passage to. The struts or bridge-pieces e e hold the packing-rings straight and true, and at the same time are so placed as not to direct jets of steam across the passages e e ahead of other steam flowing from or into the bore of valve'cylinder E, .as before described.

Vhat 'I cla'im'as new and of my invention 11' The combination of the head 1) of the balanced valve V, the e'xpansible packing-ring o", surrounding the same, provided With slot 1, the segment r covering the ends of said slot,

, the valve-cylinder E, provided with the steam passage e, surrounding the bore of the same and leading into steam-port a, andhaving a bridgingstrut, 6, covering the slot r in said packing-ring as it reciprocates across said steam-passage, substantially as described.

2. The combination of head 12 of balanced valve V, the eXpansible packing-ring 1', the valve-cylinder E, provided with steampassage 6, surrounding the bore of'the same, and having one or more bridging-struts, e 6, across said steam-passage and in contact with said packing-ring. formed of softer metal than the body of said cylinder, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the valvecylinder, the head 0 of balanced valve V, the expansible packing-ring 1', adapted to adjust itself au-' tomatically to the bore of the cylinder, and provided with a slot, r through the same, and the segment r formed with the flanges r 1", overlapping the ends of said slot and itself underlapping the ring 1" circumferentially beyond said flanges, with a steam-tight automatically-adjusting joint at one or both ends, substantially as described. I

4. The combination of the valve-piston head provided with groove o having flat radial opposite faces, the packingring r,adapted to 0 adjust itself constantly and automatically to the bore of the valve-cylinder and provided with the transversely-divided flanges r r, extending radially inward from the edges thereof, having their outer faces bearing against said radial faces of groove 0 and thevalvecylinder E, having steam-passage 0 around and opening into the bore of the same internally, in position to be crossed by said packing-ring as itreciprocates back and'forth, substantially as described.

JAMES FERGUSON. 

